Chitoku Academy
Chitoku Academy for the Gifted, located in Hashigawa city, place prefecture, was constructed by the government in 2023 as the culmination of a project started in 2015, to meet the renewed need for exceptional individuals to lead an increasingly ambitious and powerful Japan. The school accepts students from 7th through 12th grade, with a possible college in the works depending on the success of this initial venture. Tuition is largely nominal, and waived readily for families who cannot afford it. Entrance Like most schools of its kind, Chitoku has an entrance exam. Unlike most, however, the Chitoku exam is mandatory, given in advance of entrance into middle school and high school (although this year, in order to perform an initial survey of the entire student population, the test was administered to all students of appropriate age). The test is long and comprehensive, covering a wide array of fields, including physical education; there is also a general physical exam, although this information is merely for government records, and lack of fitness will not bar anyone from entrance. Excellence in any area is sufficient for entrance--in theory, this allows students to learn from each other, helping to bolster their weak points while the education and training provided by Chitoku help hone their natural talents. The academy's inaugural class includes budding athletes, scientists, writers, musicians, and many more. In truth, the physical exam is the most important part of the testing: it indicates which students have the Potential--that is, the latent ability to summon a Persona. All students with the Potential are automatically offered entrance, though this makes up only about 5% of the student body. Location Chitoku is located in downtown Hashigawa, a city of about 150,000 people located about 20 minutes from city by train, offering all the conveniences of the big city while retaining the quieter, closer-knit nature of a smaller city. The campus itself is very modern, its glass-and-steel buildings and carefully-kept grounds giving it an overly clean, almost sterile feel. It's significantly larger than most schools of its size, with top-of-the-line facilities and abundant room for student pursuits. On-campus residence is required. The dormitories are reasonably large and comfortable, although most students are required to stay with at least one other person in their first year in order to foster relationships within the class; this may be waived if a student is unable to deal with such an arrangement. (Of course, all possible efforts are made to ensure compatibility, but the system is imperfect.) Campus Life Schedules at Chitoku are very strict, where they exist. The day starts early, with normal classes and class structure much like a standard Japanese high school. After these end, a certain amount of time is allotted for classroom cleaning and errands, then twice per week, students depart for their "specialty" class, where additional training is provided in their particular area of talent. Unexcused absences are taken very seriously; multiple absences are dealt with very strictly. Although students are unaware of this, their uniform badges contain RFID chips, ensuring that their location is known at all times, in anticipation of another Midnight Channel-type event. Club participation is required. Students are encouraged to select one culture and one sports club and stick with them, although participation in multiple clubs is permitted. A broad variety of clubs exists, with more able to be created through a petitioning process.